Stamp Collecting Canada Stamps
Stamp
collecting can be a absorbing and rewarding pastime.
While spending many wonderful moments with this facinating hobby, you
become familiar with the culture of many lands, their arts, traditions
and folklore. You man also find yourself devling into various topics
such as: politics, history, biography, zoology, architecture, painting,
botany and geography.
While
this hobby may be popular with the well-to-do, a large
stamp collection can be built with minimal resources. There can be just
as much enjoyment out of the lower-grade stamps as from the rarest of
the rare.
Stamp Collecting Equipment and Supplies
Some
supplies may be useful for the proper care of your stamps.
Stamp
Tongs - Tongs (or tweezers) are an important instrument
in the proper handling of your stamps. They enable the stamps to be
handled without coming into contact with dirty or greasy fingers.
Magnifying
Glass - Useful for
reading and identifying various types and marks on a stamp.
Stock
Books and Binders - The
sheets of a stock book have rows of transparent plastic pockets which
stamps can be placed into. This allows the collector to preserve the
the stamps without the use of hinges or other adhesives.
Stamp Albums
Many
stamp collectors start out with an illustrated stamp
album. These albums are normally organized by country. Each page
contains pictures of stamps corresponding to that denomination. To
place a stamp into your album, simply look for the design that matches
your stamp. The more advanced the stamp album is, the more complete it
will be. It is usually recommended to start with the most complete
album you can afford.
If
there is no particular place for a stamp, you can use
whatever empty slots are available. This space problem can be overcome
by purchasing a loose-leaf edition of a stamp album. In this way, you
can add extra sheets as needed.
How to Hinge Stamps
Stamps should never be glued down into your album. Although
there is some controversy regarding the use of stamp hinges, for used
stamps, hinges are an economical way of mounting your stamps.
You
should never apply glue, tape or adhesive to a stamp. Good
hinges are available from stamp dealers or stamp supply companies. The
adhesive on the hinge should allow for the hinge to be easily removed,
thus avoiding damaging or taking off part of the stamp.
To
apply the hinge, fold back the top portion of the hinge and
moisten the gummed side. Apply this moistened part to the back of the
stamp; on the top, below the perforation. The remaining portion of the
hinge can then be moistened, and the stamp placed in your album.
Do
not remove a moistened hinge from a stamp. If you need to
remove a hinge, wait a couple of hours until the hinge is dry and then
it should come off with ease.
Stamp Hinge Controversy
Gum
or paper loss can make a stamp less valuable. Old style
hinges are very difficult to remove and improper hinging can increase
the chance for damage to a stamp. If one carelessly moistens the stamp
in addition to the hinge, the stamp may stick in the album, increasing
the chance for damage to the stamp with it comes time to be removed.
Also, hinging a stamp too high may damage the perforations.
Collectors seek stamps which are closest to original condition
as possible. Stamps in mint condition, that have never hinged or
mounted, and still have the original gum intact, will maintain a higher
value in the marketplace.
For
the more valuable mint stamps in your collection, the ease
and convenience of hinges is not a real benefit when compared to the
potential for damage and loss of worth.
Stamp Mounts
Stamp
mounts are transparent pockets in which your stamps can
be placed. The mounts are pregummed and some mounts are also available
with a black background. To fit various sizes of single stamps, strips
or sheets; mounts may also be cut from transparent acetate.
Mounts
offer better protection because your stamps can be
viewed and examined with no need to actually touch them. Hinges may be
inexpensive and easy to use, but mounts are a much better way to
display the more valuable stamps in your collection.
Stamp Collecting Categories
There
are numerous ways to categorize your stamps. A very good
way to start is to categorize by the types of stamps you wish to
collect. Broad categories might include:
By Country
- Most countries have a postal system. It's easy to start collecting
stamps from the country where you reside. Stamps can be purchased new
at the Post Office or from local dealers who will normally offer wider
selection of stamps to choose from, albeit at a higher price.
Worldwide
- It has become far easier to find and purchase stamps from around the
world. You can buy stamps from numerous online dealers and Internet
auction sites like eBay.
By Topic
- These are stamps issued to cover a special subject matter. The
"Elvis" stamp is probably the best example of stamps in this category.
Stamps are printed covering a wide variety of special subjects
including art, architecture, history and famous personages.
Service Type
- Most stamps are issued for ordinary use. But the Post Office also
issues various types of stamps for specialized services such as
Airmail, Express, Priority and Certified Mail.
Canadian Stamp Dealers and Stamp Auctions Canada
Arpin
Philately deals in quality postage stamp collecting and
collectible stamps. Croton Stamp Co. sells US
stamps, Canada stamps, and Newfoundland stamps to collectors by mail, as well as publishes a stamps newsletter about U.S. stamps and Canadian postage stamps. R. Maresch & Son Auctions Ltd., is Canada's largest stamp auction firm and handles Canada,
Provinces, British Commonwealth and Foreign material. The auctions are unreserved, offering valuable rarities, large lots, stamps, collections, covers and anything of philatelic merit. The Kenmore Stamp Company offers stamps, stamp collecting, stamp collector, us stamps, foreign stamps, free catalog, postage stamps, postal stamps, philatelic, catalog and online ordering. Canadian Rare Stamp Auctioneers Sandafayre provides online stamp auctions, stamp collecting, stamps collections for collecting dealers, UK stamp auction, GB, US, british, foreign, rare, old, philatelic material, postal history, postage stamps, topical stamps, canadian stamps and auctions.
Jamestown Stamp Company is a mailorder stamps,
coins, and banknotes dealer. Jack Nalbandian, Inc.
supplies superior quality stamps and services to
collectors and dealers and offers Premium Quality Mint and Used, United States Classics, Essays and Proofs, Canadian and Worldwide
Listings.
iHobb.com is an Internet shopping source for collecting supplies. iHobb.com services the supply needs of stamp, coin, post card, currency and banknote collectors. iHobb's stock includes Scott, Coin World,
White Ace, H.E. Harris, Whitman Press, SAFE, Lindner, White Ace, Showgard, Prinz, SuperSafe, Allsyte, Linns and more. Northland International Trading is a stamp and coin dealer. Northland Auctions specializes in United States, Scandinavia, and Hungary stamps and covers auctions.
Stamp Collecting Supplies Canada
Stamp Albums Canada
Canada
Scott Master Album has fully-illustrated pages with
stamp descriptions and Scott numbers. Canada Harris Album has over 1200
black and white llustrations
printed on one side. Canada Tradition Album is made of light weight
paper and has
llustrations in black and white and printed on two sides.
The Constitution Canada stamp album has black and white
illustrations printed on two sides of lightweight
pages. Canada Junior Album has Scott number description and
identification for each stamp.
Canadian Stamp Clubs and Organizations
The
Royal Philatelic Society of Canada (RPSC) features
membership information and anonline library. The British North America
Philatelic Society (BNAPS) is devoted to the
collector and researcher of stamps, postal markings, and postal history
of Canada, the pre-Confederation colonies, and
Newfoundland.
